only_fools_horses_tributefandomcom-20200213-history
Raquel Turner
Raquel Turner was a character in Only Fools And Horses who first appeared in Dates. She is the common law wife of Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and mother to Damien Trotter. Originally Raquel was quite naive but she toughened up and took no nonsense from Del Boy. "Do it yourself Trotter" she would say when he wanted her to cook breakfast for him. It turned out that Raquel was the ex wife of Roy Slater, her previously much referred to but never identified estranged husband. Raquel was played by Tessa Peake Jones. Biography Backstory Rachel Turner was born in 1957 in Peckham to antiques dealer James Turner and Audrey Turner. She had a brother Mr Turner. Rachel took up acting and adopted a stange name Raquel, similar to Rachel. In about 1976, she met local police officer Roy Slater, a former schoolfriend of Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, whom by chance was to become one of Raquel's partners in later life. Roy and Raquel lived in Peckham. Slater was a very corrupt policeman and sometimes abused her, as well as his infromants. He kept putting her singing and acting dreams down so they split up in 1983 but were not to divorce for years. Roy Slater was later arrested and charged for diamond smuggling, and given a 5 year sentence. Raquel became a member of the Actors Union and did a few stage tours but her only TV role was a lizard person in Dr Who. In 1988 she joined Technomatch Dating Agency in Peckham, where she originated. 1988-1990 On off relationship with Del In 1988, Raquel was now a member of Technomatch dating agency, a Peckham dating agency. She was put forward when local market trader Derek "Del Boy" Trotter was considered a match for her. Del had done quite well in business lately and had made about £2000, so he could afford a few luxuries for once. Del said his surname was "Duval" and that he was a millionaire with a Ferrari. Raquel met Del under the clock at Waterloo Station. They got chatting. Del pretended to be a rich businessman to Raquel as well as saying so on the dating site. Del said he had a import export business with a branch in New York, USA. Del even bribed the waiter to pretend that he had a call from his New York office. Del actually almost choked when he saw the huge bill but had to hide it to save face. They started dating and she swallowed Del's lies that he was a rich businessman. Raquel never said to Del that she was a stripper to make ends meet to pay for her drama classes. One night Del booked a stripper for his uncle Albert Trotter at The Nags Head for his birthday party. Del started laughing at his own prank until he noticed she looked familiar, she was Raquel, she saw him and Del stormed out of the pub. Rodney followed Del to calm him down. A minute later Raquel came out of the pub and told Del to wait a minute. He said she should have told him at the start that she was a stripper. But she mirrored what he said by saying she just found out his surname was Trotter and not Duval, and he was a market trader not a rich businessman. And she joked that the clapped out 3 wheel van must be "the Ferrari". He had lied to her so she said to him that he should not preach. Del insulted Raquel by saying he should pay at the door like all the other punters, and she walked back into the pub, upset. Del regretted what he said when Raquel exited into the pub. A few days later, Raquel and Del met by chance in Sid's Cafe and Del later agreed to see Raquel one afternoon or she would go to Africa on a tour if he was not there by 12pm. Del realised that she had a bad life, her husband was a roughun who treated her badly. Del was unexpectedly arrested when he mistook 2 coppers for strippers, thinking it was a revenge ploy by Albert for the prank Del played on him. Del ripped the female officer's blouse and was arrested. Raquel went off to Africa, leaving Peckham behind. Del lost contact with her. About a year and a half later, Del, Rodney and their mates were in Margate, Kent on a beano. They were at a nightclub and Trigger said the lady on the stage looked familiar. On the noticeboard the magic act was "The Great Raymondo And Raquel". Del slowly walked up to the stage and saw it was her. He shouted out "Raquel" and she then recognised him and shouted Del's name back, making the birds fly all over the nightclub. Del tried to save her from embarrassment by clapping, as if it was part of the act. Later on Del and Raquel got chatting. Raquel said her stage partner The Great Raymondo has a temper and is a bit of a pig. Del gave Raquel his address and telephone number. She told him the name of the lodgings she was staying at. Del and Rodney were locked out of their digs and Del asked Raquel if they could stay the night, it was gone 2am, and their coach was coming at 9am in the morning. Del saw Ray staying with her and thought he was using her for sex or she would be out of a job and a flat. Del hit Ray, but Ray said he was gay and they slept in separate rooms. A few months later, after a tour of America, Raquel moved into Del's flat, and stayed in Rodney's old room, as Rodney had gone back to Cassandra after making up after a major row over her boss Steven The Yuppie. In early 1990, Del wanted Raquel to "stamp his card". Rodney had yet another row with Cassie and had to sleep on the sofa. In the end, Del got her to stamp his card when she said she was scared of the dark, and slept with the light on. Raquel later applied for the role of Rosalind, a part in a Shakespeare play. She got Del to help her. He was no help as when a friend of Raquel's asked Del about Hamlet, Del said he preferred Castellas. Raquel was still married, and she said to Del that her husband was a copper. Del had no idea this man was Roy Slater. Every time Raquel discussed her marriage Del said "lets change the subject" so she did not get round to saying that Slater was her married name, and she had burned her wedding pics. Raquel started divorce proceedings and her lawyers started to trace Roy's whereabouts. Del found out that Raquel was pregnant, hence why she could not do a tour as "Rosalind". In mid 1990, when she was 3 months pregnant, her money grabbing boyfriend Del found out about a singing dustman called Tony Angelino. Del as usual wanted to make money so booked her when he learned that it was £600 for 1 night. Turned out that Tony could not pronounce his "R"s and when they did the gig that night, the villainous club owner Eugene McCarthy (Whom received protection money off the SAS) liked it and booked Tony and Raquel for a 2 month contract. Eugene liked to get his own way, if he didn't get what he wanted, he'd nail you to the door and B&Q would be increasing their door sales. After their 2 month contract, Tony and Raquel parted ways. 1991-1992 Having to fight off her estranged husband; and motherhood In January 1991, Raquel got a letter from her lawyers, saying they have traced her husband's whereabouts and they can start divorce proceedings. Roy would agree to a divorce as long as Raquel signed a post nuptial agreement where she relinquished all her rights to his present and future estate. Roy, now living in Colchester, Essex, found out that Raquel was still living in Peckham so he went there and looked her up on the poll tax register. He found out that she was living in the same flat that his old mate Del Boy lives in, even though he could not see Del's name on the register as Del liked to avoid tax. Slater had to find a way to get into the flat to make sure it was the same woman. So he decided to organise an old school reunion for The Class of 62, and told Mike to invite Del Boy, Trigger, Boycie and Denzel. Slater did not disclose his identity at first when he booked the hall for the reunion as he wanted to make a surprise entrance. Slater knew they disowned him but he was prepared to spin them a yarn to say he had changed for the better. The day of Del's reunion, Raquel got her letter to say her lawyers had started divorce proceedings with her husband. She was worried that he would find out where she lived, as she knew he could be a nasty man. Del said that if her husband did know where she lived, he'd have to go through him first. Raquel went to ante natal classes. Del went to the school reunion and Slater turned up, to say he had changed for the better while in prison. Del and the boys all were reluctant to forgive Slater but he spun them a yarn. Slater said how his dad died. Del softened and said he would have a drink with him. The rest of the boys agreed to forgive Slater and had a booze up at Del's flat. Raquel came home that night and was shocked to see her husband laying asleep on the sofa. She said Del's promises mean nothing and he allowed her husband into their flat. She said that Slater was her married name and she was married to Roy. Del had to find a way to get rid of Roy Slater but Slater "noticed" a pic of Raquel on the sideboard and asked why does Del Trotter have a photo of his wife? Raquel came from the kitchen. Slater soon went back to his old nasty ways when he insulted Del for taking his wife, and getting her pregnant "My wife has been fertilised by a Trotter". Slater said he had some "inheritance" coming soon, a good few grand. Del took Raquel to bed and allowed Slater to stay the night, in Rodney's bedroom while Rodney slept on the sofa. Del had to keep Slater sweet as he knew his own reputation as a dodgy market trader would be at stake if his business clients knew he was dating the wife of an ex copper. Not just any ex copper, but the hated and loathed Slater. A few hours later, in the early hours of the morning, Del talked with Rodney about how it would ruin him if the locals found out he was dating the wife of reviled ex cop Slater. Del said how Slater was the most hated man in Peckham. Rodney found Slater's wallet and saw some paperwork inside. It was the post nuptial agreement where she was to waive all her rights to his money. Del realised that is what Slater came back to Peckham for. They then found a letter from a Bond Street diamond merchants advising Slater to sell the 10 diamonds he had pugged away with them some years ago. Del said this must have taken place when he was charged with diamond smuggling, and that the police did not know about those 10 sparklers. Del and Rodney had to make sure the police were unaware of this, so they went down the local newspaper offices and read the reports on Slater's trial and the reports did not mention those 10 missing diamonds, so Slater had a dodgy inheritance. Del had something on Slater. Del and Rodney confronted Slater, saying they took photocopies of the letters, and if they wanted they could send them to the police, meaning Slater would go to prison again, this time for 10 years. Slater thought the Trotters wanted a cut of the inheritance in exchange for their silence. Del said no and Slater can keep his money. Del just wanted Slater to promise that he would divorce Raquel and then to leave her alone forever. Del also told Slater to get out of Peckham and never come back and to also keep his mouth shut about being married to Raquel. Slater agreed to the deal but before he left he wanted Del and Raquel to name their baby after him if it is a boy. Rodney said it would be unfair to christen a baby "Dick". Slater then told Del to have a nice life and he then left the pub forever. Raquel was finally free from Slater for good and could get on with her life. A week or so later, a heavily pregnant Raquel was getting backache due to having to walk to the shops when going shopping. Del bought a Capri Ghia off Boycie. There had been a spate of muggings in the area and Del wanted Raquel to drive to the shops so she is safe and sound. Albert was allegedly mugged and the usually active old man became a recluse. As Raquel was about to have her baby soon, Del wanted Albert to go shopping to help him get back on his feet. Turned out Albert was never mugged, he got into a fight with an old school enemy. A few days later, Raquel laughed when she found that Del had bought some mens wigs and had not checked properly. She was having twinges. Del suggested they name their baby Troy. Raquel suggested Aaron. Rodney joked "Damien" after the devil child but Raquel and Del found that nice. Damien Derek Trotter. His initials would be DDT. No flies on him though. Raquel had antenatal classes but Del wanted to know when the pubs closed round there. She then went into labour. On 3rd February 1991 Raquel, after much screaming, gave birth to a boy and her and Del named him Damien Derek Trotter. At first, motherhood for Raquel was great. They had their baby christened in the summer of 1991. The vicar was sceptical about the first names Damien Derek due to the baby having DDT as initials. Del then conned his way into a trip to Miami for a week with Rodney, leaving Raquel at home with the baby and Albert. Del returned from his holiday in September 1991. Raquel's divorce was then finalised. In early 1992, due to the recession, Del and Rodney could not buy or sell anything, and Raquel got post natal depression. She felt she was existing, not living. A daily round of bringing a baby up, hoovering, washing, cooking and shopping. Only Albert's pension was the main source of income for the Trotters as Del and Rodney were not doing well in business. In November 1992, Del told Raquel that he had bought the flat. She was not pleased. Also she wanted the spare room given back to Damien, who was now almost 2 years old. Del came up with an idea to make money, and that was to discover a "ancient spring" on his allotment. When he did, he managed to get a fake water sample so as to get the bottled water going. Soon, the Trotters were raking in the cash. The water was tap water, from Del's kitchen. Also the water was toxic, as Del got Denzel and Trigger to dump the drums of toxic waste in the local reservoir. The drums had come from Del's allotment. Del took Raquel to Brighton to celebrate their new found wealth. 1993-1996 Relationship woes and becoming a millionaire Del's dodgy Peckham Spring venture came to a halt in early 1993. Raquel lost her hair due to drinking the contaminated water. Del's charge was dropped due to lack of evidence, and the allotment was destroyed in a minor earthquake. Del spent much of his Peckham Spring money on legal fees. After a brief spell of earning a lot of money, it was back to reality for the Trotters. In late 1993 Del started frequenting the nightclubs and pubs again. Raquel was worried that he would go back to his old ways. Raquel became moody again, slamming Del's dinner on the table and shouting at him. She also got angry with Albert for boiling his pants in a pan on the cooker. Del, who was a bit chauvinistic, said to Albert that he has handled more violent women than Raquel. The endless nights out was actually for the family. Del was doing a deal to buy some Russian VCR's and hoped to clinch the deal. Rodney was always moaning at Del for butting into his love life but he butted in to Del's. In the end when Del got home at 8 in the morning, Raquel left him and moved in with Rodney and Cassandra. Raquel planned to get herself a flat, as she wanted to leave Del for good. Del thought it was over with him and Raquel so he asked a woman out. Yes, Beverley, a dental receptionist. Del was talked out of it by Rodney and Albert, as they knew there is a chance he could get back with Raquel. Del phoned Beverley but it went to answer phone. Del left a message cancelling their date. Del tried to distance himself from Beverley but she seemed to be stalking him. Boycie said he saw her at a psychiatric hospital last year. Beverley even saw an ad that Del had placed in the newsagents selling his sons high chair. She used this to worm her way into Del's flat. When Del came home one day, he was horrified to see Beverley in his flat. Del had to hide his fright, and made an excuse and left. Raquel swapped Damien's highchair for Beverley's answer phone, which had the message from Del on it. Del then decided to have it out with Beverley, so he stormed to the dentist and told her to leave him and his family alone, saying she is following him. Beverley mirrored Del's actions, saying he was following her and that she worked as a receptionist at the psychiatric hospital. Del was relieved and told Beverley they will never see each other again. Raquel was happy again, but not for long. Out of curiosity, on Christmas Day, Rodney plugged the answer machine in to see if it works, and it had the message from Del to Beverley on it, saying he had to cancel his date tonight. To an extent, Raquel got the wrong end of the stick, as she deduced that Del had been having an affair these past few months, hence why he was going down the nightclubs and pubs. In reality, Del had asked Bev out when he thought it was over between him and Raquel. She threw glasses at him and told him to keep away from her. However, sometime in late December 1993, or early 1994, Rodney must have vouched for Del, as he knew about Beverley, and said that Del was going out every night to try and clinch a money making deal for the family, but did not want Raquel to know, as he wanted to outdo his competitors. Del and Raquel made up and put the Beverley business behind them. They also probably made up for Damien's sake as well. Observations Quotes Memorable info *'Born': 1957 *'Full Name': Raquel Turner *'Parents': James Turner and Audrey Turner *'Siblings': Mr Turner *'Spouses': Roy Slater (1978-1991), Derek Trotter (common law, never married but they row don't they?) *'Children': Damien Trotter (1991) Category:Only Fools And Horses Characters. Category:Main characters. Category:Characters first seen in 1988. Category:Characters last seen in 2003. Category:Turner family. Category:Slater family. Category:Trotter family. Category:Singers. Category:Magicians. Category:Housewives. Category:1957 births. Category:1978 marriages.